Of Whispers and Ancient Myths
by ineslapin
Summary: A young human girl finds herself in quite the predicament, once she admits how unhappy she is with the life. However, Fate has other plans for her, offering a proposal she can't refuse. Starting all over in a different and magical dimension, it's a race against time to save the magical population… But books and reality are two very different things. Trust no one. (Includes Fem!HP)
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue: Belonging

**Of Whispers and Ancient Myths**

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****Disclaimer:** As much as it pains me to say so, _Harry Potter_ does NOT belong to me but to the awesome J. K. Rowling. That said, what you recognise as cannon came from her, although my main protagonist, possibly other original characters and additional stuff unfamiliar to you are "my precious".**

* * *

**Summary:** A young human girl finds herself in quite the predicament, once she admits how unhappy she is with the life. However, Fate has other plans for her, offering a proposal she can't refuse. Starting all over in a different and magical dimension, it's a race against time to save the magical population… But books and reality are two very different things. Trust no one. (Includes Fem!HP)

**Updates:** I don't know at which rate I will be posting my chapters. I am in my final year of high school which pretty much comes down to the finals. The results will dictate whether or not I get to the university course I desire. I'm also a newbie when it comes to writing fanfiction but I'll do my best.

**Read this first!**

I'll just come right out and say it:my female Harry Potter, while a major character, won't obviously be the main focus of the plot I've designed. She will have a great amount of importance and there will be character development (after all, little Harriet and my OC will be awesome sidekicks and friends!), but Ana, later referred to as Anaïs, will be the one in the spotlight. I should also warn you that there will be **major Dumbledore and Ron W. bashing**, **minor Hermione G. bashing** (I love her and for that things will _eventually _be set to rights). My main character will not be Light, but grey (maybe dark grey), and Tom Riddle shall regain his sanity. So… Yeah, there will be a romantic relationship between the Dark Lord and Anaïs, although we are light years away from that. There will also be other pairings but good things come to those who wait. (Rated M for later chapters)

Happy reading!

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**Chapter 1 – Prologue: Belonging**

Ana Rodrigues was extremely bored… Actually, she would probably disagree and _stress_ just how much of an understatement that was. At the age of twenty, the young Portuguese woman had her characteristic brooding demeanour on, effectively scaring off those unfortunate enough to be in her vicinity. Perhaps that was why, if someone were to intrude on the scene, they would find that particular corner of the Bodleian Library in Oxford devoid of any other living souls…

However, upon close inspection, those who had the ability to recognise Miss Rodrigues would be rendered speechless. While it was true that the current facial expression was not unheard of, it usually manifested itself when she was either furious or trying to concentrate, and if the book that remained innocently forgotten on her lap was anything to go by, it definitely wasn't the latter option. Nevertheless, the way her gaze was fixed on the nearest window betrayed a melancholy she didn't care to hide, not fury. One would reckon that, with her academic achievements, an individual should have an abysmally different posture. Well, maybe such happened often, but not on that day…You see, our young heroine (even if all seemed to defy such a title) had finally let the traitorous emotions and thoughts which had been lurking in the darkest recesses of the medical student's mind for several years now loose.

"What a gigantic mess you've managed to get yourself into this time around Ana… Not that I had many viable options to choose from to begin with! What a mess indeed." sighed Rodrigues.

From the very start, her acquaintances could not possibly fault her for lack of ambition, for if there was something her mind had in abundance it had to be ambition, a desire for greatness. Rodrigues' plans had, however, been hindered by none other than herself, the moment she acknowledged, to some extent, the fact that she didn't belong... _Anywhere_, as it happened. As she sat on the windowsill, Ana realised the great majority saw her for (and only for) her intelligence, after all her academic life had been nothing but brilliant until then. To tell the truth, she could not and would not blame the general public, since her life was pretty much synonymous with work. That was her element, the place where she would lose herself at the expense of her personal life. The young woman had been in the spotlight, intellectually speaking, from the very beginning, looking for challenges, things that were not within arm's length of every human being. Her mantra would be something along the lines of "If everyone can do it, why should I even bother?!".

Her dark chocolate brown curls obscured her vision and no move was made to rectify the issue. Any efforts would have been fruitless anyway. A sad smile peeked through the long mane of hair, for a wave of disappointment had just washed over her. Somewhere along the line, her inner child had taken to hiding from the eyes of society, her quirky and bizarre ways subdued. She remembered the disappointment in certain authority figures, her home country with its corruption and how her condition as the eternal misfit awakened the suffocating need to flee. Although she wasn't delusional (mind you, the girl was slightly insane, but who isn't?!), she had spent her entire life seeking a way out, despite knowing she was somehow stuck there by a cruel twist of Fate. Oftentimes, her big but plain brown eyes would acquire a dreamy edge, while her brain concocted elaborated and extraordinary explanations for her predicament. These always culminated in a drastic and somehow peculiar change of pace; her excitement would grow as her mental countdown neared its end… Nonetheless, nothing would occur, no big explosion, no kidnapping, no rescue, no inter-dimensional travelling… Condemned to her grey outlook on life, Ana Rodrigues would sober up, chastise herself for such silly idiocies and go back to being the one dimensional creature others saw her as.

Her gaze now wandered, taking in the strategically positioned lines of bookcases along the several floors she could spot from her vantage point, the furthest from ground level as possible. The sight of all that pent up knowledge never ceased to amaze. At least _that_ seemed to truly satisfy her… The wooden floors were, oddly enough, covered here and there by carpets of different patterns which varied according to the section of the library; leather couches and armchairs conveyed even more warmth to the place, having been arranged in a pleasing way, enabling either dialogue or silence; a long mahogany table, where at least twenty people could find a place to sit, was mocking her from about fifteen metres away, but she knew similar ones could be found scattered throughout the building, one for each section, and that furniture could not taunt anyone even if the present situation went against her better judgement; dissimilar desk lamps illuminated the surface in question, amusing their evaluator; tapestries depicting medieval scenes hung on walls, the themes ranging from the religious to the quotidian; the staircases seemed to gloat, spiralling into oblivion in intricate patterns, forcing the visitors to acknowledge the beautiful designs carved on the walls which converged to form a dome made of solid stone. All in all, the infrastructure had been conceived to impress, to haunt the memories of the onlookers, for if the imposing exterior was almost intimidating, the interior, while no less daunting, had been decorated with such subtle taste, it brought solace and a sense of magical understanding.

A loud noise, in all that immensity, caught the woman's attention. The "Anatomy Bible", as she liked calling it, had chosen that particular moment to _stress_ its importance. The book was supposed to be seen as a faithful companion for the rest of her days, given the elected professional path. However, Ana was actually considering throwing it out of the window for its nerve. Later, she would probably apologise for her lack of consideration for the tree that had originated the monstrosity lying ungracefully on the floor, but she felt like momentarily blaming the _thing_ for her miserable life! Would it be too much to ask that going to med school and finally achieving a goal she had imposed on herself so long ago would appease her spirit?! Apparently, yes.

Taking in one last time the characteristic scent of dusty old books which, on any other day, would have soothed her temper, she rose, with a loud huff, from the window seat cushion, unceremoniously picked up the _thing_, threw it into her leather backpack and exited the Bodleian, muttering about how she would never understand her fellow colleagues who always seemed to choose fashionable but not very school friendly bags. Mrs Ellington, the old librarian on service, threw the bane of her existence a dirty look, privately ecstatic to have the entire building for herself on that autumn's evening…

But as Ana walked briskly towards the small flat she shared with her only long-time friend near Oxford University, little did she know she had just gazed upon the shelves which had brought her solace countless times for the very last time… And so, as oblivious as anyone who goes through sudden life changing events, the girl whose mind couldn't decide whether she truly belonged there or not, carried on, stopping only to admire the way dusk had fallen on that 31st of October…

-x-

Somewhere above, in a state between life and death, a creature of ethereal beauty observed the little mortal, a pair of knowing and ever-seeing golden orbs trailed on the petite female figure.

"My, my… How interesting!", said the being, voice momentarily full of mirth "It would appear I have been looking for you in the wrong place all along. No matter, child. Past mistakes shall be rectified. Let us hope it suffices, otherwise much will be lost due to two wrongly entangled strings. How will you fare against the world, I wonder…"

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I know I really let myself go when it comes to descriptions (I just _love_ writing them!)… Nevertheless, this mainly descriptive chapter was necessary to create a detailed background for Inês. I've never been to the Bodleian (much to my chagrin), which means my portrayal probably represents everything _but_ the library as you know it. This will probably happen a lot!

I won't keep you any longer! Review and rate, but keep in mind there's a difference between criticism and flames… So none of the latter, if you please. I bruise easily…

xoxo, ineslapin


	2. Chapter 2 - A Wise Old Woman's Omen

**Of Whispers and Ancient Myths**

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****Disclaimer:** As much as it pains me to say so, _Harry Potter_ does NOT belong to me but to the awesome J. K. Rowling. That said, what you recognise as cannon came from her, although my main protagonist, possibly other original characters and additional stuff unfamiliar to you are "my precious".**

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First off, allow me to thank all who Favourited and Followed my story. Special thanks to **AvalonTheLadyKiller**, **Rawdha **and **sassy973 **who reviewed and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (**AvalonTheLadyKiller, **I sincerely hope I can rise up to the challenge!)

On with the story!

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**Chapter 2:** A Wise Old Woman's Omen

"Rodrigues! Wait up," the shrilly sound of the most annoying person's voice in this God forsaken planet pierced the silence that had reigned.

Ana inwardly cursed and reluctantly stopped. It would seem she was utterly out of luck that day. To think she had almost managed to reach the very edge of campus without being disturbed… Apparently, it was not to be. Ana wondered if karma was finally closing up on her, due to her little plots and manipulations. True, these were very subtle and on the larger scheme of things ended up going unnoticed, but the fact that the Ana who stepped out of her flat every morning was a complete product of her imagination did not change.

One cannot, therefore, blame her for making a deduction so farfetched. However, the whole act she had going on should not be addressed by inflicting upon her person that disgusting little excuse for a human being, for there was not a more fitting manner to describe the nightmare Helen Williams represented.

Taking a deep breath to mentally prepare herself for what was to come, Miss Rodrigues eventually turned around, not even making an effort to put on her polite mask on once again. It had slipped the moment she had left the Bodleian, and faithful to her real personality, Ana had waited an ungodly amount of time to acknowledge the woman. As expected, Williams was positively fuming due to the rude treatment. The predictability of the whole situation only served to slightly amuse Ana who would now be taking up the mantle of further irritating the blonde in front of her, if the rather nasty sarcastic smile which adorned her features was anything to go by…

"Took your sweet time, didn't you? I thought that, after all this time, you would have learnt to bow to your betters… My apologies for the great expectations I expected you to meet. I was obviously aiming far too high," mocked the blonde menace.

Ana promptly chuckled:

"I can't fathom how exactly you reached such a ludicrous conclusion. You see, I currently do not spot anyone who could possibly deserve such a compliment. If someone such as you describe were to be present, I would act accordingly. As it is, such behaviour would be terribly uncalled for… I'm afraid you can't take points for that flawed logic, Williams."

_Achievement Unlocked_. That must have been a new record, since never before had Helen's naturally pale complexion acquired that ever satisfying puce tinge so soon into a conversation.

"You… You… You-"

"Yes, it's me. You really never cease to astound with your eloquence. Such proficiency you show when dealing with your native language. Others must be quite jealous. Poor thing… How do you even cope?!"Ana ridiculed a fake horror-stricken expression in place. Someone give the girl an award for the performance.

Williams ultimately regained some semblance of control, wrapping herself around whatever pride had survived the attack. Ana, on the other hand, pouted at the other's shaky success.

"The perfect little fake version of you obviously decided to take a break," came Helen's retaliation. "Don't think for a second that I haven't figured you out. The glares, the way your eyebrows raise and your face distorts when a negative emotion manages to get through all those layers…" She finished scathingly with a smug look.

Ana just couldn't hold back the bubble of laughter that erupted. It was good-natured with a derisive edge to it. In fact, when she finally calmed down, Ana threw what could have been deemed the most impressive condescending look she had ever given anyone in her twenty years of life.

"For goodness sake, are you delusional?! Wait, don't answer that. You got a glimpse of what I allowed you to perceive. You've never bothered to disguise how much you loathe me, so I figured it would only be fair for you to be aware of my manipulations as I am of yours, though it doesn't take a genius to comprehend your antics. Mind you, we dabble in completely different areas and I refuse to be compared to you. Nevertheless, you almost bored me to death throughout the whole process. How did you manage to get into med school? It must have been a miracle; I guess I'll have to start believing in those…" Ana explained, shaking her head.

Helen's jaw would be permanently dislodged if she continued to keep it _that_ wide open. After a couple of seconds, reason seemed to kick in, and the dejected blonde spoke yet again, despite the sour look the other woman sported.

"Humm… Professor Copperfield desires your presence and opinion," a jealous edge started to creep through. "I've come to fetch you," she seemed to take particular ruthless delight in the way she had phrased it.

Ana almost groaned, for she absolutely abhorred the man. He might be a highly regarded neurosurgeon but his interest in the female student population alarmed her.

"I fail to see why he would request a third year's presence, let alone his opinion, at six thirty in the evening," Ana professed, a dangerous glint in her brown eyes.

A heavy silence settled in…

"He can turn your professional life into a living nightmare, if you start challenging him…" The words came out with a certain degree of respect now.

"Thank you, for your touching consideration. Yet, I'm not about to cave in. For all I care, he can shove his _desires _up a dark place that shall remain unspecified, as I do not wish to be crass. Have a very nice Halloween, Williams."

And without waiting for any sort of retort, Ana resumed her previous activity with a renewed spring in her step, wondering if "Cat", her roommate, would still be with Matthew at his place.

**-x-**

As it happened, Cat was not home or at least that appeared to be the case, given the unclosed shutters. Ana smiled… Catherine deserved some happiness as well as some time off from dealing with Ana and her idiosyncrasies. Cat actually saw Ana without the invisible mask the latter had devised years ago 24/7 because they were great friends and "partners in crime". Rodrigues' flatmate actually made her feel at ease, which meant the protective shell would crumble whenever they were together.

Ana was manipulative, somewhat aloof and reserved. She constantly said Humanity had the power of emptying her, which led to periods of isolation and meditation. Since most of the time she wanted to throttle someone (mostly for their stupidity and bigotry), Ana learnt to act as the proper little sheep every single living soul expected her to be. Therefore, no one bothered her or questioned her. This gave her the upper hand, enabling mistakes to go unnoticed; fingers were never pointed at her; suspicion was a foreign concept. And yet, she could still cause disturbances if she wished. Life was good, while she waited in the shadows for the perfect moment to strike…

The four storey building where she lived was relatively new and in very good condition. There was a total of eight flats inhabited by very different individuals, but, surprisingly enough, Ana got along with all of them, though Mrs Lancaster had a special place in her heart, due to her avant-garde attitude, despite her advanced age…

After taking a moment to appreciate the not only infectious, but also joyous mood of those who had already come out for the festivities, Rodrigues entered the lobby. She spared the lift a glance, then chose the stairs as per usual. The second floor was not that far up and any form of exercise was always welcome.

"Home, sweet home…"Ana exhaled in relief.

Still, when she reached out to turn the door knob, a violent shiver made its way down her spine. A feeling of dread and premonition settled in, setting off alarms bells in the distance. Going against her better judgement, Ana quickly turned the key, made her way into her living room and turned on the light switch. The girl made a quick scan over the room, taking in the beige sofa, the two leather armchairs, the TV set, the beautiful marble fireplace… Her gaze wandered to the beloved books which covered the walls, leaving only some space for the occasional picture or painting. The dark furniture contrasted with the white coloured walls, the simple beige curtains, but was in perfect harmony with the wooden floor.

Scoffing at her obviously faulty intuition, even though that was a first, she propped her backpack on the modern kitchen's island and closed the shutters before deciding to take a shower. Perhaps her thoughts would sort themselves out, so that a decision about the future could be made…

True to its promise, the warm water managed to soothe her muscles somewhat… Nevertheless, Ana was still at a loss for what to do. Afterwards, she swiftly extracted a pair of black leggings along with a comfortable t-shirt from a built-in wardrobe made of walnut and got dressed. She was drying her hair with a fluffy towel as well as considering the seductive offer her king-sized bed provided her until dinner, when someone knocked on her flat's door. This singularity could only mean that, the moment she answered it, Mrs Lancaster kind smile would be there to greet her.

Suddenly excited, Ana dropped the towel somewhere in her chaotic room and basically ran towards the entrance. Her suspicions were indeed correct…

"Mrs Lancaster! I wondered if I would be seeing you today… After all, it is Halloween," Ana spoke warmly, internal conflict momentarily forgotten. "Please, come in."

"Thank you, Ana dear," the old lady entered with an uncanny agility for her age and Ana closed the front door. "The planets are in particular tricky positions for your birthday tomorrow. Pluto is outstandingly bright tonight…" Mrs Lancaster looked at her like she was trying to burn the younger woman's very presence into her mind. "Change is coming Ana… Don't look at me with such a patronising expression. Your elders deserve some respect."

"And you know I respect you and your beliefs. But you are aware of the fact that despite my curiosity and interest, I have a serious problem when it comes to following them myself," they sat on the sofa facing each other. "Tea?"

"No, thank you Ana," Mrs Lancaster sighed. "My Celtic heritage interests you more than you care to admit. Perchance you should start being more honest with yourself," the woman's calculating gaze accessed the girl's posture. "You seem agitated… Have you finally realised how unhappy you are with your station in life?" A long pause followed… Once a drama queen, forever a drama queen... "Your startled expression betrays you. You forget that, unlike many, I am able to see through you.

Samhain brings change with its connection between what is and what was. Be very careful, my dear. Every time I see you during this time of the year, I could swear you are slipping."

"What do you mean by that?!" There was some urgency in her tone, the alarm bells from earlier returning with full force.

"You were born on a very particular day, you and many others. You celebrate your birth when the 'darker half' of the year begins. The veil between worlds becomes especially thin… Celtic mythology explains that the doorways to the Otherworld open from sunset on the 31st of October to sunset on the 1st of November, allowing the spirits and the dead to come into our realm. Then again, other beings may cross to this side. Most of the time, they keep to themselves and do not interfere with the living, unless there's an extremely worthwhile motivation. Perhaps I phrased things in an unsatisfactory way… Perhaps _you_ are not slipping… There are easier ways…" The ominous tone in which this was declared brook no argument and, for once, the girl who sought all the answers didn't know if she wished to accept words which rang so foreign and final.

**-x-**

_11 pm already? I've been sitting in the same position for hours now!_ Ana stole a glance at her surroundings. The flat was eerily silent and still. If not for the sound of the mantel clock above the majestic marble fireplace, she would have been tempted to consider that time had simply stopped. As it was, such a possibility was unequivocally preposterous.

Her wise neighbour had gone soon after their conversation, even if one would be more inclined to refer to it as a monologue, seeing as Ana had just sat there, torn between whatever unrecognizable emotions that had gone through her head. Then, much to her outright horror, one of the few grandmotherly figures she had in her life had shaken her head with sadness etched onto every single age line. Ana was pretty confident she'd never seen the outgoing, free-spirited woman look that defeated and, well, _aged_. Things couldn't have gotten any stranger or so she had assumed. To her utter shock, Mrs Lancaster had subsequently proceeded to hug her (of all things).

Sighing and fighting the headache that had been brewing, Ana recalled their parting…

* * *

"_You are a nice girl, Ana. Yes, much too mature and cognizant of the world's cruel methods, but wonderful nonetheless. Whatever happens from now on, I want you to let go of your insecurities and make a run for it. The Universe works in some awfully strange patterns, a lot like people when you think about it. A word of advice: proceed with caution, for you'll be dealing with strange, otherworldly creatures; consider their proposals but then again accept nothing at face value. Perchanc, I'm only a senile old lady with too much time on her hands, who likes to come up with the strangest of scenarios. In spite of this, I've learnt that taking a risk and being open-minded goes a long way. You don't want to be caught off guard, now do you? I know you hate feeling like you're out of your game and that's why I've been nagging your brain with all of these stories."_

"_You speak like we're never going to see each other again," Ana protested. _

_A secret smile appeared on her face._

"_We never know what's around the corner… We may guess, have our strong suspicions and hunches, but we are never a hundred percent sure of what will transpire. Consequently, we make do with what we have at hand. On another note: do try to have fun, dear. It's been a while"_

_After a giving Ana a mischievous/conspiratorial wink and a cheeky pat on the cheek, the old lady turned around, muttering about the little pests who would most likely interrupt her Samhain rituals, whatever those were._

* * *

_My life just keeps getting better and better, it would seem… _Outright confused, Ana was at a loss and her initial appetite had evaporated long ago. The whole med-school issue remained unaddressed and the extraordinarily creative story neighbour had come up with this time around was outrageous. _Should I expect a fairy to kidnap me or something along those lines? I should probably find a cave to spend the rest of my days in. Maybe then this macabre stuff will stop happening to me… Can't a girl catch a break?! _Rolling her eyes, Ana prepared herself for a good night's sleep. When her personal hygiene routine was taken care of, she snuggled beneath her comfy covers, sighing in contentment. She would have to talk to Cat the moment she returned. Her flatmate would probably end up forcing their imaginative neighbour to write a book. _The potential is most certainly there, _Ana reasoned.

Except Cat would never encourage Mrs Lancaster to develop a new work of fiction, at least not on those grounds. In fact, Cat would return from Matthew's to an empty flat, wondering how she had succeeded in paying the rent for that place on her own for the last couple years. A flatmate for the vacant second bedroom had to be found as soon as was humanly possible…

**-x-**

Ana ground her teeth inside the dream. Not even her brain would be providing her with relaxing, problem-free imaginary worlds tonight. Apparently, the whole Universe was conspiring against her… She rolled her eyes. _Well, that's egocentric, even for me… _

Deciding that continuing to "lounge" on the ground after landing face first on the soil was probably not advisable, not to mention extremely silly, Ana got up, trying, in vain, to remove the dirt which clung to her clothes. Her hair looked like a bird's nest, bits of foliage, earth and twigs peeking through the curls. In her defence, anyone who suffered the same fate would come out just the same. Falling through trees had that effect on you… Why she had found herself in such a predicament, however, was anyone's guess.

After wallowing in whatever self-pity she could muster, the young woman eventually looked around, taking in her surroundings. It would appear her imagination had surpassed itself, for the most beautiful forest that could encompass your entire field of vision stood there under the watchful gaze of millions of stars… She was right at the very edge of it, but Ana could hear the faint sounds of water running on a stream; the whispers of the wind when it caressed the tree crowns; the soft hoots and other singsong noises produced by the local wildlife. All in all, she had never been anywhere that magnificent and outright peaceful. Her amazement was so intense that the nasty fall she had taken was soon forgotten.

"Time to explore!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Leaving the relative security of her previous position in uncharted territory, deep into the forest she went, admiring the vegetation all the while throwing caution to the wind. _It's just a dream. No matter what happens, I'll still wake up in the end. _Stumbling through the overgrown plants, Rodrigues tried to identify some sort of delimited path, only to sigh in defeat. _Even in dreams I get lost. I should get a prize for my excellent orientation skills._ She had considered looking at the stars for guidance, even though she has always lacked the knack for it. However, surprise, surprise, her _"can't-use-the-constellations-even-if-her-life-depended-on-it" _self was stuck with a night sky which she had the decency of not recognising. _And what can we learn from this, children? That I am a lost cause but not a terribly lost one. There's always a bright side… _

Traipsing through the woods, Ana managed to fall thrice, cutting herself in the process in a strange plant that had appeared out of thin air in her opinion, until she came upon a nice cosy clearing. Sitting on a rock, she set her mind to work properly once the daze had worn off.

_This lucid dream is completely off the charts… I've never experienced such a thing… I'm aware of my dreaming state but I have no control over my surroundings!_ Ana had spent her short journey trying to get some semblance of control over the environment, but it was not to be. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, in a desperate attempt to make some sense of her situation. The prickling sensation on her back had been plaguing her from the very beginning of the whole ordeal and she was not stupid. The fact was Ana had connected the dots; someone or something was keeping an eye on her from the shadows, evaluating her every move. She had been through the experience of being tested several times now to be sure of what was transpiring.

To her delight and distrust, every sound unexpectedly seemed clearer than ever. In fact, she was suddenly able to identify, once again, the characteristic sound of water running that she had singled out before entering that maze disguised as a magnificent forest. However, something new "stood" in the background at that point in time… Unease filtered through, as the echo turned into a pair of faint verses, for someone was singing somewhere relatively near…

"_**Lennavanmo Lennavanmo who is it swinging you to and fro**_

_**With a long low swing and a sweet low croon,**_

_**Loving words of a mother's rune…**_

_**Lennavanmo Lennavanmo who is it swinging you to and fro.**__**"**_

The tune reverberated through her senses. Ana had heard it before, but she could not quite pinpoint when or where. She was certain it was a lullaby, though this one managed to soothe her as well as disturb her. A blurry image of an unknown crib sprang to mind, leaving her bewildered…

_Just what is going on?! This is no dream! _The moment the words formed inside her head, a movement disturbed the bushes in front of her. Frozen due to fear and absolute awe, the woman watched as an Androsphinx walked resolutely towards her. She thanked her lucky stars and all the Gods whose existence she often sneered at, that the nine feet tall creature standing proud in front of her only had the body of a lion and the head of a man. This version of the sphinx would not be throwing any impossibly difficult riddles at her, riddles she would not be able to solve in her current state of panic which was awesome, since she did _not_ fancy getting eaten. Also known as the Egyptian Sphinx, this was viewed as the benevolent version of the mythical beast, sharing only its incredible strength with the other. There was, however, another detail that intrigued her, despite her mental condition: Androsphinxes were guardians by nature, so what was it guarding?

A deep chuckle drove her out of her stupor:

"Quite the intelligent little thing, aren't you?"

_It's reading my thoughts?! _Ana was simply too shell-shocked to say anything out loud.

"You are correct, little one. Intelligent and ever so ignorant at the same time… Don't you tire of it?" The sphinx cocked its human head to the side. "I am Imhotep, he who comes in peace."

Closing her mouth, the woman retorted

"I am Ana, Ana Rodrigues," at the little knowing smile that spread over the being's features she continued "Though I'm guessing you were already aware of the detail."

"Indeed," it said, smirk still in place. "I can feel your curiosity rolling off of you in waves. Come."

Without waiting for any sort of acknowledgement, Imhotep turned around, leaving her with no choice but to follow, and how she hated not having options to choose from. Playing along, Ana walked in silence, sulking… The sound of a waterfall became clearer, stronger but, somehow, more verses sang by the most ethereal of voices succeeded in reaching her ears:

"_**(…) I am thinking it is an Angel fair,**_

_**The Angel that looks on the gulf from the lowest stair.**_

_**And swings the green world upward by its leagues of sunshine hair**_

_**Lennavanmo Lennavanmo who swingeth you and the Angel to and fro."**_

"Imhotep, who is the woman singing?"

"All in good time… You shall meet her soon enough. On another note, I believe your people often say that curiosity killed the cat," not once did the sphinx look at her, but the undertone of sarcasm was not lost on her.

"True. Then again, I've never been especially fond of that statement. I sincerely doubt people should blame curiosity… Only stupidity was at fault when it came to the cat's demise."

The sphinx did not make any further comments, but she could tell she had earned some points in its consideration. Not that it really mattered. As they went deeper into the heart of the forest, Ana marvelled at the nocturnal birds which could be spotted here and there. The place was a biologist's dream for sure. She noticed how the trees were appearing further apart now. _Time for the showdown, I believe. _To be sure, the trees gave way to a small waterfall and ground-level vegetation. The stars seemed to admire themselves in the clear water that fell only to form a stream; small birds chirped and took risky dives; groups of fireflies illuminated the area… Simply put, it seemed magical!

The sphinx abruptly sauntered over to some rocks she had ignored before and positioned itself in a removed corner. They were located further down the stream, their form and position ideal for a _tête-à-tête_. As it happened, an ageless woman of ethereal beauty was already there with a white cradle swinging from side to side. Not only was she stunning physically speaking with her long, wavy, silver hair, creamy skin, strange golden eyes, but she also had the most melodious voice Ana had ever had the pleasure of hearing… Then, there was just something about the lady Ana couldn't name… Perhaps it was an aura of understanding, mystery and kindness that made you feel… safe.

"_**(…) It is he whose faintest thought is a world afar,**_

_**It is He whose wish is a seven-mooned leaping star,**_

_**It is He Lennavanmo to whom you and I and all things flow,**_

_**Lennavanmo Lennavanmo (…)"**_

The silver haired woman stopped singing. She turned her head gracefully towards her, smiled and beckoned her over. Speechless, Ana obliged.

"I have been waiting for you, my dear child. Please, have a seat," nodding her agreement and mouthing a thank you, she sat beside the other female after stealing a glance at the child in the crib. "I trust Imhotep was accommodating to the best of his ability Ana? He is not used to dealing with others on such a personal level..."

"Thank you… But you have me at a disadvantage ma'am, for I do not know your name."

"Humans have called me many things throughout the ages, Kamrusepa and Cerridwen are good examples… The one I like the most, however, is Hecate."

"Hecate? As in Hecate, the Goddess of Wisdom and Witchcraft?" Ana asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Not only, but also. Your people usually prefer to forget that I dabble with prophecies and rebirth, along with other matters," the goddess adjusted her simple white gown and caressed the rosy cheek of the infant. Something was very wrong with the child, now that Ana thought about it. Sensing it was not right to mention it yet, she asked instead:

"I don't mean to be rude but… Why exactly am I here?"

Golden orbs surveyed her, warm smile forgotten.

"You chose to be and come here. While it is true that I have been looking for you, if your soul had not given me a sign we would not be sitting here talking. It helped that you were born during Samhain, since the veil is remarkably thin which instigates the crossing between worlds. This should not be surprising; after all, you did have the advantage of having been warned beforehand of the possibilities… Certainly someone meticulous such as yourself would not have ignored something of this scale…"

Swallowing hard, Ana rose up to the challenge…

"Coveting something or someplace only for nothing to happen for years on end has its downsides, so forgive me for not diving head first when someone offers me a way out all of the sudden," a cold edge found its way into her tone of voice, hurt fuelling it. "I'm guessing that you were not looking for me just because…"

Hecate shook her head sorrowfully.

"I apologise for what you had to go through, child. Not belonging is a curse most overlook because they do not experience it in the literal sense of the word. Your circumstances are rather _unique_. You see, your soul was never supposed to reincarnate in the realm you've been living. A grave mistake was made, risking the careful layout of Time."

"What sort of mistake?" Ana enquired, taking into consideration the innumerable possibilities.

"Fate is an interesting entity on its own; while it is true that it takes the form of a tapestry, The Three who weave it do not have all the power humans profess they have. It is my duty and Death's to assist them by decreeing what souls shall reincarnate, where and when. Since Fate has a mind of its own, we are reduced to having to listen to the whispers of the new threads which shall be added to the tapestry. Therefore, we never truly know what will happen or what souls shall come back from the Underworld until the moment they do; I interpret their initial wishes and then tell The Three whether or not to use them; Death, on the other hand, makes sure the threads are cut the moment the souls leave their respective bodies once these perish…

Somehow, your thread got itself entangled with another which caused a disturbance in your life path."

A pregnant pause ensued, until Ana finally spoke.

"I presumed that, once they are in place, the threads can only be removed after death," she said in a monotone.

"Yes. Once your death comes to pass, the thread will be removed and positioned according to its initial wishes," Hecate stated, proud of the girl who sat there talking calmly about her passing without betraying how terrorised she was. "The inadequacy you admitted to feel today made this encounter of ours possible."

"Wait a moment! You could have waited for my natural death. Why have you been looking for me?! What are you not telling me?!" Ana stood enraged. "And why were you singing a lullaby to a baby who is not even alive?!"

Hecate laughed. She _actually_ chuckled at Ana. _What the hell?_

"Humans are so entertaining. You are especially amusing though…"

"Could you just give me a straight answer please? For your information, I do take into consideration pieces of advice from people I respect."

"Good, hold onto that, you'll need any help you can get," motioning for her to sit down again, the Goddess of Magic continued. "To answer your question, we could not wait much longer. Even though Time is flexible, we did not meet Fate's requirements. Simply put, Time could be torn apart due to the strain it was put under. People say Time is flexible but it is a gigantic lie. Fate pulls the strings and allows paradoxes if it wishes, not Time. The latter is at the former's mercy."

"What in the blazes was I supposed to be doing? It must have been of great consequence, otherwise I'm sure Fate couldn't care less…"

After a while the Goddess spoke tentatively.

"What do you know about Harmony Lilith Potter? "

Ana almost gave the other woman one of her _looks_ but thought better of it when she the word "Goddess" invaded her mind.

"Never heard of her."

"Oh, I think you are wrong. You may not have heard of her by that name, but I am sure you are familiar with the adventures of one Harry Potter."

The mortal stood there looking at those golden orbs, wondering if she should just make a run for it.

"That's a_ fictional_ character, from a work of _fiction_."

"You are partially correct. In this realm she does not exist. However, you were supposed to have been born in a different world, with some very special abilities. You and young Harmony should have become friends and you were supposed to help her see the truth."

"And of what mysterious truth are we talking about here?"

"I can't tell you everything, now can I? Just know books are very different from reality, my dear child. Trust no one."

"So you want me to become a miracle worker, the heroine? I'm terribly sorry to say you'll find me lacking in the whole 'hero department'," the girl declared sarcastically.

"Even though you are not meant to save the day, as you so eloquently put it, allow me to say you paint a darker picture concerning your personality than it really is. Since you will just deny it… We only want you to make her think and for you to steer her in the right direction, but for that to happen, your rebirth must come to pass."

"You only want a future version of me to do that? Problem solved then. Because it's not as if you are asking for a child to do the impossible while the fate of the magical world hangs in the balance. No pressure!"

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere, girl. I have thought about the very same points you have made which, in turn, have led me to believe this _error_ was premeditated. Therefore, I shall allow your soul to retain certain key personality traits you have developed," Hecate revealed thoughtfully.

"I see… Quite ingenious," a sunny smile adorned Ana's face, disappearing the moment darker thoughts crossed her mind. "But I've led a life until now, interacted with people… What will happen to them?" She asked worriedly, her eyelids drooping slightly.

Hecate smiled sorrowfully at the girl's lack of energy.

"They will not remember you, for you shall never have happened to them. It is far better than creating a soulless copy of you. Nothing deserves such a fate."

Discreetly, the Goddess looked at the cut on the girl's hand.

"Ana… Lay your head down on my lap, dear."

Tired enough not to protest, Ana gratefully did just that. Comprehending what was happening, she asked childishly:

"Will it hurt?"

"_Oblivio_ is an incredibly unique specimen, child. It drains the memories it chooses from the souls of those it wounds. However, since only your spirit may travel during your sleep into a dream world, it took the damage directly. However, it will not be painful. Do not fear death, child. Fear dying with dreams and not memories."

"Humm… I'm so tired," she whispered as the Goddess caressed her hair. "Ma'am?"

"Yes?" She queried tenderly.

"You never told me why you were singing to a lifeless baby…"

"Caught that, did you? Don't worry about her… She is neither dead nor alive."

"How is that possible?"

"Let me put it this way: no one but that child has ever heard those verses."

"Wha- How?"

"There are very few coincidences, my dear. The Universe is rarely that lazy."

And after that last revelation, Ana Rodrigues was no more…

* * *

I hope you liked it and that you now have a better idea of what I was aiming for... I have the next chapter all planned out and I'll try to have it finished by next week.

So... Favourite, follow and review. (no flames!) Please tell me if you spot any mistakes! I hate those. Thanks in advance!

ineslapin


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